Dec. 15, 2025

No fewer than 29 inmates at the correctional facilities in Abeokuta on Monday, regained freedom as part of efforts to decongest the state’s correctional centres.

Those released included 23 inmates from the new Abeokuta Correctional Centre in Oba, and six inmates from the Old Abeokuta Correctional Centre in Ibara.

Speaking during the jail delivery exercise on Monday, Chief Judge of the state, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, described the exercise as an avenue to review cases, accelerate justice delivery and address prolonged pre-trial detentions.

Dipeolu also said that the gesture was to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals into society.

She lamented that the five correctional facilities in the state were highly congested.

The CJ stressed that to address this challenge, there is the need for regular jail delivery exercises, imposition of non-custodial sentences for minor offences, restitution and compensation for victims, among others.

Dipeolu argued that inspite of the challenges, the  judicial system is aimed at upholding values while ensuring that every individual receives fair treatment under the law.

“Measures such as regular jail delivery exercises, the imposition of non-custodial sentences for minor offences, restitution and compensation to victims are essential in safeguarding the efficiency of our justice administration,” she said.

While bemoaning the spate of crime, the CJ called on the state government to construct more facilities, adding that jail delivery exercises were not sufficient to decongest the facilities.

“It is a societal problem, crime rates are going up every day. We have a lot of cases in court, a judge in Ogun state has at least 300 cases in his docket and as we work, we get more,” she said

Dipeolu, consequently, underscored the need for government’s intervention to create more correctional centres, so as to tackle overcrowding in the facilities. (NAN)